How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Elmwood Park NJ

How to Find the Right Esthetician Training Program near Elmwood Park New Jersey

Elmwood Park NJ esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Elmwood Park NJ, the task starts to locate and enroll in the right program. It’s important that the program you select not only provides the necessary instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you might be a little bit unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a bit further regarding that in the next segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Elmwood Park home. Tuition will likewise be a critical factor when reviewing potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not necessarily the ideal option. There are several other considerations that you should weigh when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of programs are available.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Elmwood Park NJ Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human anatomy look more beautiful through the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic can be anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, most states mandate that you go through some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Elmwood Park NJ beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a clientele, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing clients either in their own residences or will go to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many titles and are employed in a wide range of specialties including:

Estheticians
Hairdressers
Hairstylists
Beauticians
Barbers
Manicurists
Nail Technicians
Makeup Artists
Hair Coloring Specialists
Electrolysis Technicians

As already mentioned, in the majority of states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetician Certificates and Degrees

Elmwood Park NJ esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two pathways available to get esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs usually call for 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree usually takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you want to concentrate on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also most likely feature management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Elmwood Park NJ business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you choose, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s recognized by the New Jersey Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the following section.

Online Esthetician Schools

woman attending esthetician school online in Elmwood Park NJ Online esthetician classes are convenient for Elmwood Park NJ students who are employed full time and have family commitments that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are many online beauty school programs available that can be attended by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty schools are often fast paced because many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not spending numerous hours away from your home or driving to and from classes. However, it’s important that the school you select can provide internship training in area salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Programs

Elmwood Park NJ models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a series of questions that you should research for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Elmwood Park home, together with the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have put together several of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.

Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the esthetician college you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in 07407 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Elmwood Park NJ employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Any esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Elmwood Park NJ salon owners or managers, or someone working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not considered. Finally, contact the New Jersey school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you decide on a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your ambition is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your dream is to start a Elmwood Park NJ beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you require.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and mastering esthetician skills and techniques requires lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty academy furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on using mannequins, it may not be the best option for acquiring your skills. So try to find other schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s essential that he or she gets support in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide assistance develop relationships with Elmwood Park NJ businesses that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which salons and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? The majority of esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students too. If a school meets all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not eliminate it as an option before you determine what financial aid may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Elmwood Park NJ?

Perhaps you live in the Elmwood Park New Jersey area, or have found a school that you will commute to or even relocate to attend. Either way, following is some interesting background information about the location of your new esthetician program.

Elmwood Park, New Jersey

Elmwood Park is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 19,403,[10][11][12] reflecting an increase of 478 (+2.5%) from the 18,925 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 1,302 (+7.4%) from the 17,623 counted in the 1990 Census.[21]

Prior to 1916, the area was known as Dundee Lake, a section of Saddle River Township.[4] Residents of the Dundee Lake area voted on April 18, 1916, to secede from Saddle River Township to form the Borough of East Paterson.[3] In 1917, residents of the Rosemont section of Saddle River Township voted to be annexed to East Paterson.[4] In November 1972, residents voted to change the name of the borough to Elmwood Park. The new name became official on January 1, 1973.[4]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 2.758 square miles (7.143 km2), including 2.648 square miles (6.858 km2) of land and 0.110 square miles (0.285 km2) of water (3.99%).[1][2]

Pick the Right Esthetics College near Elmwood Park NJ

Locating and enrolling in the right esthetician school is important to receive the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Don’t forget to consolidate all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to contrast schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the college and program you select are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are ready to launch your career as a professional esthetician in Elmwood Park NJ.